Surely you remember that two days ago, We learned about a test that allowed ChromeOS to be installed on Android devices, more specifically on the Pixel smartphone, and which was also not an experiment conducted by an individual, but rather a test conducted by Google itself. Moreover, the fact that it was revealed just before the Google I/O 2024 celebration made some people expect an announcement in this regard, which in the end did not happen, as you can see in our review of what they showed us about the future. .

I know that this may not seem interesting to many people, but as my colleague Juan perfectly explained in the reports that reflected this test, the ability of a smartphone to have a desktop operating system combined with the ability to connect to an external monitor (eg, as well as a keyboard and mouse, of course), they could turn devices like Pixel smartphones into a handheld computer that, when connected to said peripherals Can also be used as a desktop computer for not very demanding tasks.

However, it seems that this option is not part of the future plans, because as we read in 9to5Google, Running ChromeOS on a Pixel Android smartphone was just a proof of concept, which was developed to demonstrate the reliability and security that Android can provide when using virtual machines. For such a test, it makes sense that they decided on ChromeOS, since we are talking about a relatively light operating system, and therefore it is not particularly limited by the functions of a smartphone.

Android in the streets, Chrome OS in the leaves.

Here’s Chrome OS running in a virtual machine on Google’s Pixel tablet. Stylus, keyboard and mouse input works according to the person who shared this photo (skiman10). pic.twitter.com/alnx97P4kV

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) May 16, 2024

Now, while the ability to use ChromeOS on Android devices isn’t currently on Google’s agenda, the good news is that Sameer Samat, the company’s recently appointed head of Google’s ecosystem, isand was very positively surprised the result of this test, and recalled that much of what happens at Google starts this way, as a proof of concept. So it means that they are now analyzing the path that this feature can take.

Could a ChromeOS smartphone compete with Chromebooks? I don’t think so, but I don’t think that’s the point either. Chromebooks offer us the “PC experience” anytime, anywhere, just like other types of laptops. However, a Pixel smartphone with this second operating system would offer us both experiences in a single device (of course with the corresponding peripherals). And if Google could create some level of interaction between the two operating systems while maintaining security, the result could be spectacular.